The present invention relates in general to a method of controlling the regeneration of a particulate filter.
More particularly, the invention relates to a method for controlling the regeneration of a particulate filter belonging to an exhaust line of an internal combustion engine, comprising:                the determination of particulate filter operating data, these data being at least a temperature T(t) representative of the temperature inside the filter at a time t;        a step of regenerating the filter, consisting in raising the temperature of said filter above a first temperature threshold for combustion of soot contained in said filter;        the calculation of a parameter dinst(t) that can vary over time and is representative of the amount of energy produced at a time t by the regeneration process.        
To reduce the amount of particles discharged into the atmosphere by internal combustion engines, it is known to place a particulate filter on the exhaust line for exhausting the burnt gases from the engine. This particulate filter must be regenerated in order to maintain its filtration characteristics—such a regeneration consists in increasing the temperature inside the filter in order to cause combustion of the soot contained in the filter.
It should be pointed out that the regeneration of a particulate filter may damage it and may impair its longevity.
This is the reason why many manufacturers of internal combustion engines fitted with an exhaust line equipped with a particulate filter have developed various solutions for controlling the filter regeneration process.
A regeneration control method of the type defined above, allowing such regeneration control, is for example described in patent document FR 2 855 213.
This document presents a method of controlling the regeneration of the filter during which a parameter dinst(t) that can vary over time and is representative of the amount of energy produced by the regeneration is calculated. This parameter dinst(t) consists of a ratio, being the calculated rate of soot combustion Vr(t) as the mass of soot burnt per second divided by the exhaust gas flow rate Qm(t) as mass of exhaust gas. This is because the more rapid the combustion rate Vr(t), the larger the amount of energy produced, at a given time t, by the combustion of the soot. Likewise, the higher the exhaust gas flow rate Qm(t), the more rapidly the soot combustion energy is removed.
Thus, the change in this calculated parameter dinst(t) is observed for determining whether it is necessary or not to interrupt the regeneration process to avoid a risk of degrading the filter.